The Economist [29]
transact the business and make that my walk;[12] or, if there is no business to do in town, my serving-boy leads my horse to the farm; I follow, and so make the country-road my walk, which suits my purpose quite as well, or better, Socrates, perhaps, than pacing up and down the colonade.[13] Then when I have reached the farm, where mayhap some of my men are planting trees, or breaking fallow, sowing or getting in the crops, I inspect their various labours with an eye to every detail, and, whenever I can improve upon the present system, I introduce reform. After this, as a rule, I mount my horse and take a canter. I put him through his paces, suiting these, as far as possible, to those inevitable in war[14]--in other words, I avoid neither steep slope[15] nor sheer incline, neither trench nor runnel, only giving my utmost heed the while so as not to lame my horse while exercising him. When that is over, the boy gives the horse a roll,[16] and leads him homewards, taking at the same time from the country to town whatever we may chance to need. Meanwhile I am off for home, partly walking, partly running, and having reached home I take a bath and give myself a rub;[17] and then I breakfast--a repast which leaves me neither empty nor replete,[18] and will suffice to last me through the day.
[12] See "Mem." III. xiii. 5.
[13] {xusto}--the xystus, "a covered corrider in the gymnasium where the athletes exercised in winter." Vitruv. v. 11. 4; vi. 7. 5. See Rich, "Companion," s.n.; Becker, op. cit. p. 309. Cf. Plat. "Phaedr." 227--Phaedrus loq.: "I have come from Lysias the son of Cephalus, and I am going to take a walk outside the wall, for I have been sitting with him the whole morning; and our common friend Acumenus advises me to walk in the country, which he says is more invigorating than to walk in the courts."--Jowett.
[14] See "Horsemanship," iii. 7 foll.; ib. viii.; "Hipparch," i. 18.
[15] "Slanting hillside."
[16] See "Horsemanship," v. 3; Aristoph. "Clouds," 32.
[17] Lit. "scrape myself clean" (with the {stleggis} or strigil. Cf. Aristoph. "Knights," 580. See Becker, op. cit. p. 150.
[18] See "Lac. Pol." ii. 5. Cf. Hor. "Sat." i. 6. 127:
pransus non avide, quantum interpellet inani ventre diem durare.
Then eat a temperate luncheon, just to stay A sinking stomach till the close of day (Conington).
By Hera (I replied), Ischomachus, I cannot say how much your doings take my fancy. How you have contrived, to pack up portably for use-- together at the same time--appliances for health and recipes for strength, exercises for war, and pains to promote your wealth! My admiration is raised at every point. That you do study each of these pursuits in the right way, you are yourself a standing proof. Your look of heaven-sent health and general robustness we note with our eyes, while our ears have heard your reputation as a first-rate horseman and the wealthiest of men.
Isch. Yes, Socrates, such is my conduct, in return for which I am rewarded with--the calumnies of half the world. You thought, I daresay, I was going to end my sentence different, and say that a host of people have given me the enviable title "beautiful and good."
I was indeed myself about to ask, Ischomachus (I answered), whether you take pains also to acquire skill in argumentative debate, the cut and thrust and parry of discussion,[19] should occasion call?
[19] Lit. "to give a reason and to get a reason from others." Cf. "Cyrop." I. iv. 3.
Isch. Does it not strike you rather, Socrates, that I am engaged in one long practice of this very skill,[20] now pleading as defendant that, as far as I am able, I do good to many and hurt nobody? And then, again, you must admit, I play the part of prosecutor when accusing people whom I recognise to be offenders, as a rule in private life, or possibly against the state, the good-for-nothing fellows?
[20] "The arts of the defendant, the apologist; and of the plaintiff, the prosecutor."
But please explain one other thing, Ischomachus (I answered).
[12] See "Mem." III. xiii. 5.
[13] {xusto}--the xystus, "a covered corrider in the gymnasium where the athletes exercised in winter." Vitruv. v. 11. 4; vi. 7. 5. See Rich, "Companion," s.n.; Becker, op. cit. p. 309. Cf. Plat. "Phaedr." 227--Phaedrus loq.: "I have come from Lysias the son of Cephalus, and I am going to take a walk outside the wall, for I have been sitting with him the whole morning; and our common friend Acumenus advises me to walk in the country, which he says is more invigorating than to walk in the courts."--Jowett.
[14] See "Horsemanship," iii. 7 foll.; ib. viii.; "Hipparch," i. 18.
[15] "Slanting hillside."
[16] See "Horsemanship," v. 3; Aristoph. "Clouds," 32.
[17] Lit. "scrape myself clean" (with the {stleggis} or strigil. Cf. Aristoph. "Knights," 580. See Becker, op. cit. p. 150.
[18] See "Lac. Pol." ii. 5. Cf. Hor. "Sat." i. 6. 127:
pransus non avide, quantum interpellet inani ventre diem durare.
Then eat a temperate luncheon, just to stay A sinking stomach till the close of day (Conington).
By Hera (I replied), Ischomachus, I cannot say how much your doings take my fancy. How you have contrived, to pack up portably for use-- together at the same time--appliances for health and recipes for strength, exercises for war, and pains to promote your wealth! My admiration is raised at every point. That you do study each of these pursuits in the right way, you are yourself a standing proof. Your look of heaven-sent health and general robustness we note with our eyes, while our ears have heard your reputation as a first-rate horseman and the wealthiest of men.
Isch. Yes, Socrates, such is my conduct, in return for which I am rewarded with--the calumnies of half the world. You thought, I daresay, I was going to end my sentence different, and say that a host of people have given me the enviable title "beautiful and good."
I was indeed myself about to ask, Ischomachus (I answered), whether you take pains also to acquire skill in argumentative debate, the cut and thrust and parry of discussion,[19] should occasion call?
[19] Lit. "to give a reason and to get a reason from others." Cf. "Cyrop." I. iv. 3.
Isch. Does it not strike you rather, Socrates, that I am engaged in one long practice of this very skill,[20] now pleading as defendant that, as far as I am able, I do good to many and hurt nobody? And then, again, you must admit, I play the part of prosecutor when accusing people whom I recognise to be offenders, as a rule in private life, or possibly against the state, the good-for-nothing fellows?
[20] "The arts of the defendant, the apologist; and of the plaintiff, the prosecutor."
But please explain one other thing, Ischomachus (I answered).